Tipà is used to mean in with the names of towns and cities, and au (singular) or aux (plural) with the names of countries that are masculine in French.

J’habite au Mexique.

I live in Mexico.

Elle est aux États-Unis.

She’s in the States.

à can mean to.

Je vais au cinéma ce soir.

I’m going to the cinema tonight.

Donne le ballon à ton frère.

Give the ball to your brother.

Tipà is used to mean to with the names of towns and cities, and au (singular) or aux (plural) with the names of countries that are masculine in French.

Je vais assez souvent à Paris.

I go to Paris quite often.

Il va aux États-Unis la semaine prochaine.

He’s going to the States next week.

à is also used with de to mean from … to …

le trajet de Londres à Paris

the journey from London to Paris

La banque est ouverte de 9 heures à midi.

The bank is open from 9 to 12.

Je suis en vacances du 21 juinau 5 juillet.

I’m on holiday from 21 June to 5 July.

à can mean on.

Il y a deux beaux tableaux aumur.

There are two beautiful paintings on the wall.

Le bureau se trouve au premier étage.

The office is on the first floor.

Qu’est-ce qu’il y a à la télé ce soir?

What’s on TV tonight?

Note that à and sur can both mean on in English. sur usually means on the top of something. sur la télé means on top of the TV set, but à la télé means broadcast on TV. Both can be translated as on the TV in English. sur le mur means on top of the wall, but au mur means hanging on the wall.

à is often used to describe:

what someone looks like or is wearing

la femme au chapeau vert

the woman with the green hat

un garçon aux yeux bleus

a boy with blue eyes

how something is done

fait à la main

hand-made

laver à la machine

to machine-wash

what a type of food is made of

une tarte aux poires

a pear tart

un sandwich au jambon

a ham sandwich

how you travel

On y va à pied?

Shall we walk?

Il est venu à vélo.

He came on his bike.

TipApart from à vélo and à cheval (meaning on horseback), the prepositions en and par are used with most other means of transport.

à can also show what something is used for.

une boîte aux lettres

a letter box

une machine à laver

a washing machine

une tasse à café

a coffee cup

Note that une tasseàcafé means a coffee cup, but une tassedecafé means a cup of coffee. In the same way, un verre à vin means a wine glass but un verre de vin means a glass of wine.